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I was hoping that my second labs would be better than the first since the first were drawn only 5 weeks after infection but even my doctor was suprised at how low my viral load dropped. I am very happy with the results and wonder if I can expect this to be the set point or if viral load routinely jumps up after being so low. I know viral loads can jump around alot but are jumps from <1,000 to >20,000 common - especially early on?

I really think each person is different. I had a relatively low viral load when initially diagnosed (8,000), and it then proceeded to drop for the next couple of blood draws, down to 865. But the weird thing was that my CD4 count continued to drop pretty quickly as well, in spite of a declining viral load. Not to suggest that this same thing will happen to you. But a low viral load does not necessarily mean that your CD4's will stay up. For your sake, I hope that they do, but don't sweat it if they don't.

Since you seem to know when you were initially infected I would say the test done a month later showed the after effects of primary infection. Once your immune system rebounded (for lack of a better term), things leveled out per say.

Will this stay this way? Depends on many factors like: the individual, strain of virus, lifestyle, etc.. You could possibly steadily remain this way for many years or on the otherhand have a crash within a year. Not trying to scare you, just trying to explain how unpredictable this virus is.

In any event your second labs are awesome and it is a great reason to celebrate. With in reason of course!

Hey Nash and Boneil,I'm interested to hear your continued progress. I was diagnosed in may 09 after infection in April. I had been on Atripla for six weeks, stopped for liver enzyme problems, then on Raltegravir + truvada for 2 weeks, stopped for a rash that turned out to be something else infectious. Not on any meds now, but my VL dropped to ND after only 4-5 weeks on the first med. And even 2 mos off meds nowthe VL is still nondetect. my CD4 bounced around a little, were 525 , 26%, then 513 but 33%, 394 (12%), and most recently 452 (while in hospital). It seems the CD4 varies a lot and they say the % of total matters more or as much. I was a little disappointed that my CD4 didn't rise while the VL dropped on meds, but i'm not going to obsess over it... (which may prove a challenge). I'm likley to be talked into restarting meds in the next few weeks, so we'll see what happens. I'd like to think that many of us have immune systems that can fight the virus back without meds, but it may be impossible to tell who that will be beforehand. good luck to you both...larry

hi boneil. that's great news! i'm glad to hear that your immune system kicked back following infection. i'm hoping that my second set of numbers also shows improvement in vl decrease. i'm still unaware of exactly when during the preceding year or so i got infected, but as i see it, if my vl shows a drop i'll be a happy camper. i'm due for my next blood draw in about 6 weeks, so it's the waiting game until then. stay well.

Well i think it almost the same as I. The first time i counted VL, the number was really high. But in a few months it decreased a lot to 2000, and after that my CD4 increased a little as same as VL(5000).

I think that when i did the first blood test i was still in seroconversion, it may have happened the same to you, or it may happen that your body is a good fighter, and that it takes longer for the virus to take contol. There are diferent ways of responding to this virus, to some, it develops faster than others.

To tell you the truth im curious about my next blood result, that will be this thursday, my doctor said that probably i will only need meds in 2 or 3 years, lets see...

Very similar experience. Very first VL I had done on tail end of a really bad sereconversion was around 350! (See numbers below).I didn't have to take meds for almost 3 years... and even then just recently I chose to start meds because I felt ready to do so and although VL was still relatively low, my absolute CD4 and % had continue to decline.

No matter what I think it's a good sign for you. But the key is to keep monitoring at what ever interval your doc recommends. VL is important but keep a watch on your CD4... and what trend over the long run it has.

Everyone is different, but it could be years before you need to start to take meds... but don't fear them if and when you do need to start.

Sounds like you might be what we are calling an elite controller - which probably correlates to to LTNP. Looks great!

Joshua

Elite controllers actually have undetectable VL (<50 copies). The original poster may be a viremic controller (<2000 copies). It's a bit too early to tell. I had very similar numbers to the OP originally (see signature) and I am in the viremic controller category. If the numbers continue to stay in the same range, he should go to the Zephyr foundation web site . http://www.zephyrfoundation.org. That's a forum dedicated to HIV controllers. Many studies are being discussed there.